For many NASA scientists, flying aboard a decked-out Douglas DC-8 plane provided them some unique glimpses of Earth: the Moai on Easter Island, Central Park in New York and Mount Vesuvius in Italy.

On May 15, some of the same scientists who worked on that "flying laboratory" looked on as it made one last flight over Ames Research Center in Mountain View before its retirement.

Reem Hannun, a research scientist in the atmospheric science branch, attended the flyover with her two children before taking them to school. As the twins played around the trees and commented on the big plane that flew close to the ground for them to see, she recalled how she got her start at NASA doing science and reading field measurements on the plane.

"It's just cool to see all these different measurements for atmospheric composition, and it's a great community to be a part of, and you get to travel the world doing science," Hannun said.

The plane, owned by NASA, was one of seven DC-8 planes still in operation internationally. Thomas Matthews, lead operations engineer for the aircraft and main mission director, said that NASA used the plane for 37 years, but the aging aircraft needed to be replaced as it was getting harder to sustain.

Need a moment of levity? Try watching videos of astronauts falling on the moon. NASA's outtakes of Apollo astronauts tripping and stumbling as they bounce in slow motion are delightfully relatable.

For MIT engineers, the lunar bloopers also highlight an opportunity to innovate.